Man Utd striker Owen’s three week injury downgraded

Manchester United striker Michael Owen could be back in the selection mix as early as next match.

Owen tweaked his troublesome groin in the Champions League win over Wolfsburg last Wednesday and it was initially feared that he would miss at least three weeks.

But the former Liverpool star will return to full training with the Red Devils on Tuesday and with the international break on this weekend, should be right for the home fixture against Bolton on October 17.

"I'm back in full training from tomorrow," Owen told At The Races on Monday.

"The older you get the more you get to learn your body.

"Probably a few years ago I would have carried on playing and pulled something and been out for a couple of months or a few weeks at least.

"I felt something coming. If I'd continued or done another sprint then I think I would have pulled my groin.

"So I came off just before it happened and instead of three or four weeks it's three or four days. So that's something you get with experience."

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Walcott intent on winning Arsenal spot before England

Theo Walcott insists he is intent on winning his way back into Arsenal’s starting line-up before contemplating a national team call-up.

The exciting winger made his return to the Arsenal team with a substitution appearance in the 6-2 demolition of Blackburn on the weekend, managing to get himself on the scoresheet.

After the match, Walcott was not getting carried away and was realistic about his England chances.

"At the moment I am thinking about trying to get back into the Arsenal starting line-up and I am not really thinking about the World Cup at the moment," said Walcott.

"It is always great having competition because it brings the best out of you. England has a great squad with a great bunch of lads and it's the same for Arsenal, with fantastic world class players.”

Walcott added that he had big plans for the Premier League season with the Gunners.
"I haven't got a figure in mind of how many goals but I would be happy with 10 goals or more. We'll see,” he added.

"It's always nice to get on the scoresheet but this is a fantastic team to be involved in. It makes your job easier if you are going back into a flying Arsenal team at the moment.

"I think with this formation it gives you more licence to go forward so I should be among the goals a bit more this year.”

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gerrard cleared becks fined

MLS decided to fine David Beckham $1,000 for confronting fans earlier this week, which resulted in one fan getting thrown out of the stadium and eventually arrested. How meaningless is that fine? A grand is like spare change to him. If you want to get him where it hurts the most, just tell him he has to stay at LA Galaxy for the remainder of his contract.

Back in England, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been cleared of affray after punching a man in a Merseyside bar. The jury at Liverpool Crown Court took about an hour to deliberate and agreed with Gerrard’s claim that he was acting in self-defence. Isn’t he glad that he rejected the move to Chelsea a few years back. Wonder what the jury would have decided if the affray and the trial had taken place elsewhere, say in London or Manchester. Great article here.

These events in the past week just proves that footballers are free to break the law and get away with it, well except from Joey Barton. He had to pick up thrash just like Naomi Campbell.

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There Will Be Blood: Gold Cup Final Leaves USA Hungry

Today it was Mexico who drank up USA’s milkshake….right from a giant Copa Oro.

America fell in a 5-0 loss against their biggest rivals today in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final at Giants Stadium leaving the Yanks hungry for revenge when the two nations meet again on August 12th in Mexico City.

Bob Bradley fielded a squad of inexperienced players and he got an inexperienced reaction from the boys who fell to pieces after a dodgy call and subsequently capitalized penalty by Gerardo Torrado in the 59th minute.

Really though, the Gold Cup is all a bit Mickey Mouse and Bradley was right to gauge the talent of up and coming young American players by letting them experience play against the nations they will face in World Cup Qualifying matches for the remainder of this year and leading up to 2014. As of now, Brian Ching and Stuart Holden are the only Gold Cup squad members rumored to be in the running for a trip to South Africa.

Mexico V USA has always been an anticipated tie. As the US defeated Honduras earlier in the week, I was hoping to see Mexico take Costa Rica so the final would be more exciting. And as Brian Ching twittered, the two National squads shared a charter flight from Chicago to New York on Friday morning. That must have been awkward.

Mexico will face an entirely different group of Americans in August- the group which defeated Spain and held the mighty Brazil down two goals before losing 3-2 in the Confederations Cup Final. A squad which will hopefully feature Benny Feilhaber so if the boys lose at least there will be a bit of eye candy to take the sting out of the bite.

So I’m hoping the Americans keep their heads up, get back to work, and take it to Mexico in a couple of weeks.

And I’m hoping that either ESPN or Fox Soccer Channel can muster a half decent pair of announcers because Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan have reached a ranking of 4 out of 5 on the Alexi Lalas scale of mild retardation after another 90 minutes of their spouting cod shit today.

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Barcelona announce Ibrahimovic presentation Monday

Barcelona have announced that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be unveiled as their latest signing tomorrow.

The departing Inter Milan striker will be in the city this afternoon ahead of his signing ceremony tomorrow at the Nou Camp - which will kickoff at 6:30pm.

This afternoon, Ibra will take part in a photo session and will have a medical on Monday morning before his presentation.

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Man City on verge of signing Arsenal’s Toure

Manchester City are believed to be close to signing Arsenal defender Kolo Toure.

Reports suggest the Ivory Coast international will sign with the cashed-up Eastlands club for £14million.

City recently completed the signing of Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor and are now set to clinch the services of their centre-half.

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